Best Free MOOCs In Business For December

The Language and Tools of Financial Analysis

School: University of Melbourne

Platform: Coursera

Registration Link: REGISTER HERE

Start Date: December 5, 2016 (4 Weeks)

Workload: 4-6 Hours Per Week

Instructors: Paul Kofman and Sean Pinder

Credentials: Kofman is the dean of business and economics at the University of Melbourne. Holding a Ph.D. from Erasmus University in the Netherlands, Kofman is a heavily cited researcher whose peer-reviewed work has been published in the Journal of Risk and Insurance, the Journal of Futures Markets, and the Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions, and Money. At the same time, he has served as an editor for several academic journals including the International Journal of Money and Finance and the International Journal of Managerial Finance.  His research focuses on quantitative and behavioral finance.

Pinder is an associate professor in the finance department who has taught at the school since 2001. A co-author of the popular Business Finance textbook from McGraw-Hill Education, Pinder teaches courses in advanced corporate finance and corporate financial policy. His academic research covers capital raisings, derivatives, and corporate finance decisions.

Graded: Students will earn a verified certificate for completing this course.

Description: In this course, students will learn more than just key accounting principles and measures. They’ll also understand how they’re applied in the real world by analysts, investors, and CFOs. Over the four weeks, students will examine how accounting principles and financial analysis can help student measure value creation, cash flow, and financial decision-making. The course is divided into modules consisting of video lectures, quizzes, and reflection questions. Students will also complete a peer-reviewed assessment at the end of the course. To participate, students should possess a basic knowledge of statistics and Microsoft Excel.

Review: “Solid class, with a very strong overview on the elements of financial analysis. The end of class project was also very helpful. Would have liked to have a more in-depth understanding of what the financials mean on the ground for the business, but I’m expecting that later in the specialization. For additional reviews, click here.

Additional Background: This is the first part of an “Essentials of Corporate Finance” specialization available through Coursera. After completing these courses, students will receive a certificate that reflects that they completed four courses (including “The Language and Tools of Financial Analysis,” “Essentials of Corporate Financial Analysis and Decision-Making,” and “Alternative Approaches to Valuation and Investment”) and a capstone project. The total cost of a certification is $395. To register for this specialization, click here.